The Department of Agrarian Reform has given certificates of land ownership awards (CLOAs) to 757 farmers in a disputed land in Coron, Palawan.
The government awarded the CLOAs in the land formerly owned by the Philippine Agribusiness Center Corp. (PACECO), which have also been occupied by “farmer-intruders” who reportedly refused to give up the land.
Out of 887 hectares aggregate area, only 814 hectares were initially placed under the coverage of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program in 1993 and were issued CLOAs and distributed to 757 beneficiaries in 2012.
The farmers were each awarded a 300-square meter-home lot and an average of one hectare of agricultural land.
Daisy Magbanua, acting provincial agrarian reform program officer, said DAR has necessitated bringing the services of the uniformed personnel to help ensure peace and order in the course of implementation of its writ of installation.
“This option is embodied in the DAR-Department of National Defense-Department of Interior and Local Government Joint Circular No. 5. Series of 2002, which contained the Enforcement of the Agrarian Laws and Program through the intervention of the PNP and militarypersonnel for the successful implementation of CARP”, she added.